Spain’s Blanca Fernandez and Switzerland’s Chiara Tamburlini carded opening 67s to share the Women’s Irish Open lead after the first round at Carton House.

English trio Lottie Woad, Mimi Rhodes and Hannah Screen are among a group one shot back, but home favourite Leona Maguire is five off the lead.

In tricky conditions that fluctuated between showers and sunshine, with a swirling wind added to the mix, it was Fernandez and Tamburlini who made the best of it to lead the way.

Both had seven birdies and a single bogey in their round, with Tamburlini picking up a shot on three of the last four holes.

Joining Order of Merit leader Rhodes, world number one amateur Woad and Screen on five under were Swedish pair Lisa Patterson and Madelene Sagstroem, plus Alexandra Swayne, who is representing the Unites States Virgin Islands, with the sextet just one shot off the pace in a packed leaderboard.

Indeed, just two strokes separate the top 19 players with another 11 just a further shot back, including the best of the home challengers Emma Fleming, who claimed the Victorian Amateur Championship in Australia last month.

Maguire endured a frustrating day on the greens, but the Cavan woman remains in contention having ended day one with a 72, tied with three other Irish players on one-under-par.

A number of Maguire’s Solheim Cup team-mates started strongly with Sagstrom posting the best round of the five, while England’s Charley Hull (-3) and Georgia Hall (-2) are well in contention heading into day two.

Sweden’s Anna Nordqvist, though, has work to do having finished the day on two over.